On 2023 State Math Exam, Zero Students Were Proficient At 13 Baltimore City High Schools

The recent state test results in Baltimore City Schools are causing significant concern. Project Baltimore revealed that 40% of Baltimore City high schools where the 2023 state math exam was administered had no students scoring proficient. This shocking statistic includes 13 high schools where not a single student achieved proficiency.

Jason Rodriguez, deputy director of the nonprofit People Empowered by the Struggle, described the situation as “educational homicide.” He emphasized that there is “no excuse” for these results and criticized the school system for its lack of accountability. Rodriguez’s group previously called for the resignation of Baltimore City Schools CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises over similar issues in 2021, and these latest test scores have renewed those demands.

The test results, obtained by Fox45 through a source, show that out of 33 Baltimore City high schools that participated, 13 had zero students proficient in math. These schools include well-known institutions like Patterson High School, Frederick Douglass High, and Reginald F. Lewis High. Out of 1,736 students who took the exam in these 13 schools, 1,295, or 74.5%, scored the lowest level, far below proficiency.

Despite Baltimore City Schools receiving $1.6 billion in taxpayer funding and $799 million in COVID relief funds last year, Rodriguez dismissed funding as the primary issue. “It’s not a funding issue. We’re getting plenty of funding,” he said. “I think accountability is the issue.”

This problem isn’t new. In 2017, Project Baltimore produced a similar report, identifying 13 schools where no students were proficient in math. Many of the schools from that report remain on the 2023 list, showing a persistent failure to address these challenges.

The school district that has 71% Black students acknowledged the poor performance but cited long-term underfunding and post-pandemic challenges as contributing factors. Rodriguez, however, remains frustrated, stating, “We’re still dealing with these same issues year after year.”

Link: Fox Baltimore